inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō 
plural infernos
: a place or a state that resembles or suggests hell
the inferno of war
Examples of inferno in a Sentence
By the time help arrived, the fire had grown to a raging inferno.
the intense heat of the raging inferno repeatedly drove back the firefighters
Recent Examples on the Web
The Lost Bus takes us inside the hellish inferno of the 2018 Camp fire that decimated the town of Paradise in Northern California.
—
Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
National Park Service officials say there was no way to predict the Dragon Bravo Fire would turn into an inferno, jump containment lines and rip through the Grand Canyon's North Rim, leaving a historic lodge and 100 other structures in smoking ruin.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Taylor Swift poured tanks of gasoline on social media, struck a match and lit the internet in an inferno of excitement.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
Around 1,000 firefighters are battling the huge inferno—which was only 7 percent contained at the start of the week—amid gusty winds and dry conditions.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferno
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Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
National Park Service officials say there was no way to predict the Dragon Bravo Fire would turn into an inferno, jump containment lines and rip through the Grand Canyon's North Rim, leaving a historic lodge and 100 other structures in smoking ruin.
—Stephanie Murray, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Taylor Swift poured tanks of gasoline on social media, struck a match and lit the internet in an inferno of excitement.
—Bryan West, The Tennessean, 13 Aug. 2025
Around 1,000 firefighters are battling the huge inferno—which was only 7 percent contained at the start of the week—amid gusty winds and dry conditions.
—Matthew Robinson, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inferno
Cite this Entry
“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferno. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inferno
noun
in·fer·no
in-ˈfər-nō
plural infernos
: a place or state that resembles or suggests hell especially in great heat or raging fire
Etymology
from Italian inferno "underworld, hell," from Latin infernus (same meaning), from earlier infernus (adjective) "lying beneath, in the lower regions"
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